In the face of the current atmosphere of fear and Islamophobia, many of us seek ways to demonstrate to Muslim neighbors that we are their allies and know the faith that they practice is not the extremism we see in the terrorists.

As a start, I have been touched by the writings of Sophia Ali-Kahn. She provides guidance in this short article; I am interested to know how you think Rodeph Shalom can play a positive role.

In response to the desecration of the Al Aqsa Islamic Society, a mosque in our neighborhood, our congregation’s clergy has sent this letter of support to its Imam. This Hanukkah, may the Jewish community find ways to bring light into our world.

Join us for the Center City Kehillah Hanukkah Candlelighting in Rittenhouse Square, Tues., Dec 8, 5:15pm!

“Since when is Hanukkah so important?” I once heard someone ask a rabbi. “Sukkot is important, Pesach is important, Shabbat is important, but Hanukkah is such a minor holiday! Why do we give in to the Christmas culture that identifies December as the time for an important holiday?!”

“Well,” the rabbi responded, “it’s true that Hanukkah is not particularly important compared to other Jewish festivals. It’s a minor holiday that gets a whole lot of attention. But, if Jews are creating happy Jewish memories and experiences around a Jewish holiday, who are we to take that away?” Read the rest of this entry »

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RS Blog is the official blog of Congregation Rodeph Shalom of Philadelphia. Rodeph Shalom is the Reform congregation in Center City Philadelphia and has been serving generations of families since 1795.